More than diplomatic protest

Our country’s Department of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday that it has filed a diplomatic protest against the People’s Republic of China (I mean Communist China, with emphasis on Communist as a god less ideology) over a December 4 maritime incident in the contested Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea. Thursday's protest is the latest in nearly 200 the Philippines has lodged against China under President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. who has increasingly complained about what he says are Beijing's aggressive actions in the area declared by the Permanent Arbitral Tribunal as within the Philippines Exclusive Economic Zone. As of last count, there were already 193 such diplomatic protests sent by the Marcos administration, 60 of which were filed this year.

A diplomatic protest, according to the dictionary, is a formal communication by one state, the Philippines, in this case, to another (Communist China), expressing disapproval or objection to certain actions. This was about water-cannon from a Chinese vessel being directed at a Filipino ship. It serves as a tool in diplomacy to address grievances and seek resolution without resorting to force. Supposedly, diplomatic protests are part of the broader practice of diplomacy, which aims to manage international relations and resolve disputes through dialogue and negotiation. Diplomacy seeks to maximize a state's advantages while minimizing conflict and fostering goodwill among nations.

The continuing bullying done by Communist China against the Philippines at the West Philippine Sea was recently beamed internationally thru the 60 Minutes, an American television news magazine broadcast on the CBS television network. The CBS crew thought that they were boarding the Philippine Coast Guard vessel, Cape Engano, on a routine re-supply mission. But at 4 o’clock dawn of the very first day of their trip, the siren sounded to wake everyone up. Amidst the ensuing chaos, all on board were ordered to put their individual life guards because the PCG Cape Engano, was rammed by a twice longer 265-foot long Chinese boat and the puncture would likely make the ship take water. The CBS news people personally experienced the piratical Chinese act and they had reason to fear for their lives. 135

Thanks to the 60 Minutes, the world saw in living color and startling details, the Chinese gross disrespect for international law. Worse in a news presentation by China, they twisted the facts. For their audacity to lie, I call them godless. The Chinese news bureau reported that the Filipino vessel was the one that rammed the Chinese boat which, at that time, was accompanied by three other maritime assets. Notwithstanding that the gaping hole was on the side of the Philippine Coast Guard!

To demonstrate my personal bias and rightful indignation against these Communists, let me claim (even if I could be wrong) that we Filipinos helped fund that Chinese ship and all their assets so that they can roam our seas, seize some of our islands and attack our people. How do we do that? We finance the Chinese bullying by our continued trading with China. Every time we buy Chinese made products, we in effect contribute to their economy, a part of which they acquire boats, pay salaries to their personnel to violate our territorial integrity.

Our country needs our help. There is a war waged against us by a new tyrant of a superpower. While we cannot fight militarily this Chinese behemoth, we can somehow withhold contributing to their military finance. It is our solemn duty stop buying Chinese made products. If all 110 million Filipinos boycott every China made goods, it is the least we can do.